


Crampin' My Style

by anotherdirtycomputer



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Dysphoria, Fluff, Gay, M/M, Mild Dysphoria, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, Trans Will Solace, Tumblr Prompt, absolute tooth-rotting sweetness, author is trans too and knows his pain, menstruating, nico being oblivious, nico being old, poor gay trans boy is on his period, solangelo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-24
Updated: 2017-03-24
Packaged: 2018-10-10 01:50:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10426527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anotherdirtycomputer/pseuds/anotherdirtycomputer
Summary: Will has been avoiding him lately and Nico is determined to know why.





	

**Author's Note:**

> wrote this for tumblr again! send your prompts to @demiboypercyjackson for all your trans pjo needs haha <3 anyways who else died of happiness when uncle rick said he didn't disapprove of trans will headcanons?

The first time that Will gets his period while he’s dating Nico, It’s an absolute wreck. Will is uncomfortable and seems downtrodden and sad and fiddles around with his hands around Nico like he’s torn between asking a dire question and hiding beneath six feet of earth. Nico doesn't understand it - they’ve been working on being upfront with each other, haven’t they? So why is Will so obviously hiding something?

Nico confronts him in the infirmary later that night, if it can be called a confrontation at all. He tries to be soft, because he knows that though Will appears confident and oftentimes very much is, he can sometimes be quick to spook when it comes to more serious and private matters. It’s another thing they share in common. So Nico is watching his boyfriend shuffle through pills in the infirmary and organize medicines. Will looks at the labels with an odd determination and restlessness in his eyes, like he’s attempting telepathy on the tiny capsules behind the prescription info.

“Will,” Nico sighs, pulling the son of Apollo’s nervous hands out of the pill cupboard. “Please, tell me what’s wrong. Why have you been acting so strangely?”

Will swallows hard, trying to make his face look empty. He had always been a terrible liar, however, and instead looks like he has a bit of gas. Nico figures it’s just one of the downsides to being the son of the god of truth - when you lie, you get the ‘I farted’ face. A tough break for sure.

“I, uh,” Will coughs, a short clearing of the throat. “I just. Well.”

And Nico blinks. “…well?”

An odd silence fills the room, and Nico shivers at the tense feeling that pervades the air. Will turns his head to the side quickly, trying to avoid Nico’s eyes, though he doesn’t seem to fully want to. He itches to be earnest, honest, and Nico knows it. “I… I have, uh,” He swallows hard again. He meets Nico’s eyes hard behind a curtain of blond hair. “I have cramps.”

“Cramps?” And now Nico is alarmed. This wouldn’t  _ be _ cause for alarm, if Will wasn’t hiding something. Will is rarely ever sick, after all, and when he is, it is normally severe. Children of Apollo cannot heal children of Apollo through their powers either.…. “Where? Are they serious?”

Will gets that look on his face like he’s lying again. “No,” he says unconvincingly. “I mean, they’re normal.” But he is so obviously speaking truth at the same time.

“What are you hiding?” Nico won't lie and say he isn’t hurt. But he understands. “I’m honest with you about my health now. Please, Will.”

And Will groans, melting back into that loose-boned, lazy beanpole. “I’m… on the rag, Neeks.”

Nico blinks. “On the rag?”

“Yeah, you know…. Aunt Red is down for a visit.”

Never in his life has Nico di Angelo been more confused. “…Artemis?”

“No, Neeks, I mean…. my monthly gift from Mother Nature.”

“…so, Demeter then?” Still, only confusion comes from this.

Will puts his head in his hands and groans the hopeless wail of a dying man. “I’m bleeding, Nico! I’m menstruating!“ He drops his hands dramatically, looking at the ceiling in desperation, as if he was hoping to find some kind of peace hidden there. “Or in my case,  _ man _ struating.” He’s obviously frustrated and bitter, but in classic Will Solace fashion, he takes the time to huff out a laugh at his little joke.

Nico, however, does not laugh. Despite his skin taking back the healthy olive tone of his youth (well, earlier in his youth), he’s certain he’s blushing scarlet. “Oh. That.” Nico is very new to many things, one of which is how it works for someone to be trans. Trans people existed in the 1930’s, of course, even in Italy, and have for centuries, but up ‘til meeting and falling for Will, Nico had never known. And now, with all this new information, he’s playing a bit of catch up, hence why his mind hadn’t connected that Will’s anatomy meant he would receive… ‘Nature’s gift’. He feels a bit foolish.

Sniffing once awkwardly, Will scratches the back of his head. “Yeah… I was, uh. Looking for Midol. Not that it ever really helps me, but….”

Nico blinks again.

“Right, you wouldn't know it by brand name. It's just… period medicine. Helps with cramps.”

Nico nods numbly. “Of course, um. Of- Of course.”

Will laughs again, with far less humor. “It’s strange. It’s horrible.”

Nico somehow freezes and melts at the same time. His shoulders fall and he stares at Will’s face intensely. “No.” He says with conviction.

“Yes.”

“No, I just. I don't know. I was never really taught any of this.” Nico shrugs, eyes searching the infirmary before finding Will’s face again, then his stark white shoes. “I don't know how to help.”

It's quiet again, and that worries Nico.

Nico clears his throat to make noise, then says awkwardly, “Will, listen. I like you a lot.” Will looks up at him, meeting his eyes, and Will smiles when meets Nico’s eyes. He must sense him telling the truth. “You’re… You’re my…” He struggles for a word to say. He’s uncomfortable with terms like boyfriend and partner out loud and he  _ knows _ it’s because of how he grew up but he finds he cannot help it.

“I’m your….” Will prompts him kindly, eyes fond and patient. It makes Nico sigh.

“You’re a really great guy. and I’m glad that we’re.. dating.” He takes Will’s soft hands in his own, rubbing his thumbs over the gentle hills and valleys of his knuckles. “If i can do anything to help you, I’ll do it.”

Will giggles happily, squeezing at Nico’s hands. He looks into Nico’s eyes and Nico realizes that the look on his face right now is so similar to the delighted grin he gets when Mr. Spock does something silly in an episode of Star Trek. Like he’s perfectly content with all that is. Nico is proud to have put that smile on his boyfriend’s face, even if he can’t articulate that for Will to hear.

Will shakes him out of his reverie by speaking. “Even if it’s kind of gross and weird?”

Nico grins back. “Especially then.” He punctuates this point by leaning up on the tips of his toes to press a smooch to Will’s smiling lips, then another when Will relaxes into the kiss. He brushes their noses together briefly before going flat-footed again. He laces Will’s long fingers with his own like the roots of two trees tangling together over time. Their relationship is new, but something about the feelings between them seems old and meaningful. Nico hopes it will stay that way for a long time

“Okay good,” says Will. “Because I need a heating pad and lots of cuddles.”   
  
A laugh bubbles it’s way up Nico’s chest and tumbles out of his mouth. “I can do that.”

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are a writer's best friends!


End file.
